Chair



Nov. 18, 1958 E. F. HAMILTON CHAIR 2 SheetsSheet 1 Filed. Jan.

INVENTOR. f y/e; fly/1mm TON,

QTTOIQ/YEYS Nov. 18, 1958 E. F. HAMILTON CHAIR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledJan. 25, 1954 United States CHAIR Application January 25, 1954, SerialNo. 405,787

19 Claims. (Cl. 155-139) This invention relates to furniture, withparticular application to collapsible chairs in which the front legs andchair seat are foldable from a chair-operative position into a storageposition in which they are disposed substantially in the plane of thechair back.

The present invention relates primarily to the type of chair justindicated, and has for an object thereof to simplify and generallyimprove the construction and lessen the cost of manufacture and assemblyof such articles. Another object is to provide a chair which when itsparts are disposed in chair-forming position will offer but littleindication of its collapsibility. A further object is to provide a chairwhose collapsibility and extension from collapsed position may be veryreadily and easily effected. A still further object is to produce acollapsible chair which lends itself to manufacture largely from sturdyand economical metal tubing and sheet metal.

. lnucarrying out my invention in a preferred form to achieve these andother objects, I provide from metal tubing 21 generally U-shapedback-member the bight portion of which frames the chair back and thelegs of which formthe rear supporting legs for the chair. Pivotallyextending from each such leg is a generally L-shaped side-member, thehorizontal stretch of which forms a seat-support and the verticalstretch of which forms a front leg of the chair; and each suchside-member is horizontally swingable from a collapsed position generally co-planar with the chair back to an operative position generallyperpendicular thereto; Means are provided for controlling such swingingto properly position the. side-members. A chair seat is provided, andmeans are provided for pivotally connecting it to the chair back on ahorizontal, transverse axis to permit the seat to swing between anupright, retracted position in which it lies against the chair back, toa seat-forming position in which it rests on the seat-supportingstretches of the sidemembers. With such construction, chair collapse isreadily effected by a simple upward swing of the chair seat followed: bya simple inward swing of each sidemember; reversal of such steps effectsan easy extension of the chair from storage condition to chair-operativecondition. Other features will be apparent from the more detaileddescription following, in which: i Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a chairof my invention, the seat being shown in full lines in seat-operativeposition': and in dotted lines in retracted position;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal section similar to Fig. 2, and showingthe legs in retracted position;

Fig. 4 is a fragmental detail taken generally on the line 4 4 ofFig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the detail shown in Fig. 4; i Fig. 6 is ahorizontal section taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail of a portion of Fig. 2, with the seat shownin phantom outline.

2,860,692 Patented Nov. 18, 1958 Fig. 8 is a vertical section taken onthe line 88 0 Fig. 7; 3

Fig. 9 is a section taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 10 is a section taken on the line 1010 of Fig. 1.

The chair shown in the drawings comprises a backmember 1 h fashionedfrom metal tubing into a generally inverted U-shape and positioned in atransverse plane to provide that the bight-portion 12 of such memberframes the back of the chair and the legs 14 of such member serve as therear supporting legs for the chair. Means such as the transverse bars 15extend across :the eight 12 of the back-member. to serve as aback-support, and those bars and a transverse stretcher 16interconnecting the rear legs 14 near their lower, free ends addrigidity to the back-member 10. The stretcher 16 desirably is made froma length of metal rod, of a diameter less than that of the rear chairlegs 14, and necked to provide each of its ends with an integral,axially extending portion H of a diameter smaller than that of the bodyof the stretcher. An opening 18 is provided in the inner wall of eachtubular leg 14, and such opening 18 is of a size to snugly accommodatethe insertion therethrough of the full diameter of the stretcher; and anopening 12 is provided in the outer wall of each leg 14 of a size tosnugly accommodate the smaller-diameter extension 17. After thestretcher is assembled in the back-frame, with the full-diameter portionat each end of the stretcher extending through its opening 18 and clearthrough the interior of the tubular leg 14, with the shoulder of thestretcher abutting the interior surface of the outer wall of such leg 14and the extension 17 protruding through the outer-wall opening 19, the.portion of extension 1'7 so protruding is staked or otherwise headedover to hold stretcher 16 and rear legs 14 rigidly assembled.

Each front leg 20 of the chair is formed as a vertical stretch of agenerally L-shaped side-member 22 pivotally connected to the associatedrear chair leg for horizontal swinging thereabout between a retractedposition generally co-planar with the chair back and a chair-operativeposition generally perpendicular thereto to position the front leg 20well forwardly of the back-member. An integral stretch of each rear leg14 serves as the hinge-pinmeans for each such pivotal connection. Thehorizontal stretch of the side-member 22 forms a seat-support 24 uponwhich a chair-seat 25 may rest when the side-members are disposed inchair-operative position. Desirably the side members 22 are formed ofmetal tubing of circular cross-section, but the stretch 26 thereof atthe rear end of each seat-support 24 is deformed into rectangular orother non-circular section, for a purpose hereinafter apparent.

Fixed to such rear end-stretch 26 of each seat-support 24 in a bracket30 conveniently of heavy sheet-metal formed into a general U-shape toprovide intermediate its ends a vertically disposed socket-member 32which has spaced upper and lower annular faces 33 loosely embracing arear chair-leg 14; and from both ends of the socket-forming portion themetal of such bracket extends forwardly to provide opposed channel-likejaws 34 between which the rear stretch 26 of the seat support 24 isfirmly held. For holding together the opposed jaws 34 andseat-support-stretch 26, they are interconnected by tension pins 36extending between the jaws 34 and through the seat-support end-stretches26. Those pins 36, together with the non-circular embrace of theseatsupport by the jaws 34$, prevent relative twisting thereof. Relativesliding of the jaws, which would of course tend to unwrap thesocket-portion 32, is further prevented by tabs 37 extending from theedges of one jaw to interfit in recesses provided in the adjacent wallsof the opposite aws.

Intermediate the upper and lower annular faces 33, the socket-member 32is enlarged through shoulders 39 to a larger diameter portion toaccommodate a boss formed as a plate 40 of heavy sheet metal shaped as acylindrical segment adapted to lie along the outer surface of the rearchair-leg 14. A rivet 41, whose head is countersunk into the plane ofthe plate 40, extends through the plate 40 and the chair leg to hold theplate onto the leg. As shown, the tubing of the leg is provided with aninwardly directed offset 42 into which nests an inwardly directed offset43 of the plate 4t). This arrangement facilitates locating the plateproperly on the leg; and the recessed outer surface of the plate-offset43 permits the head of rivet 41 to lie in countersunk fashion in thatplate. Only one rivet need be provided for each plate, as a single oneprevents vertical and horizontal sliding, and the cylindrical. mating ofthe plate 40 and chair leg 14 prevents twisting.

The downwardlyand upwardly-facing walls of shoulders 39 formed adjacentthe upper and lower annular faces 33 of the socket-member fix the socketalong the chair leg by their engagement with the upper and lower endwalls of the plate 40; and since the plate 40 is in the form of asegment which extends circumferentially around the chair leg 14 only alimited arcuate distance, its side wall 44 offers itself as an abutmentsurface adapted to be engaged by portions of the seat-support or bracketto limit swing of the associated side-member. Desirably, and as shown, Iemploy the extreme end edge of the seat-support 24 to serve as a nose 46to so engage the plate side-wall. The location of the plate 40 is in therear, outer quadrant of the chair leg 14; whereby outward swing of theseat-support 24 is limited to the desired generally fore-and-aftposition by the nose 46 abuttingly engaging with the plate side-wallduring swinging of the side-member into chair-operative position.

The seat 25 is pivotally mounted to the chair back on a transverse axisto permit it to be swung between an and a seat-operative position inwhich it rests on the seatsupporting stretch 24 ofeach side-member 22.Desirably, such pivotal connection of the seat to the chair back is madeby fastening to the seat 25 a generally U- shaped yoke 58 of metal rod,of circular cross-section,

the ends of which are turned outwardly to provide transverselyextending, aligned fingers 59 pivotally received in horizontallyextending openings provided in the back member 10. Intermediate thefingers 59, the yoke-rod is bent to provide non-aligned stretches 60 and61 lying along a frame-plate 52 of the seat but extending trans verse tothe axis of the fingers 59. Along those nonaligned, transverse stretches6061, the: yoke 58 is clamped to the seat-plate 52, desirably by theclamping structures shown. Each clamping structure comprises aclamp-plate 62 having a tongue 63 insertable through an opening 64provided in the seat-plate 52, with the clamp-plate 62 underlying theone of the yoke-stretches 6061. The clamp plate 62 is provided with anupwardly-open channel 65, formed by integrally offsetting the metal ofthe plate 62, to embrace the associated stretch 6061. A screw 66 extendsthrough an opening 67 in the clamp plate 62 at an end thereof oppositethe tongue 63, and into holding relation with an opening 68 provided inthe seat-plate. The arrangement is such that with the lower surface oftongue 63 bearing against the upper surface of the seat-plate 52, andwith the intermediate portion of the clamp-plate 62 hearing upwardlyagainst the yoke-stretch 6061, the clamp-plate portion containingopening 67 is not in engagement with the seat-plate 52. Thus, in drawingthe screw 66 tight to force such engagement, there occurs a resilientdeformation of the seat-plate 52 or clamp-plate 62, or

- plates to said seat.

4 both. As a result, the yoke-stretches 61 are held firmly to the seat,and the existing stressed condition of the members imposes forcesresisting any tendency of any of the elements to work loose.

Desirably, portions of the metal of the seat-plate 52 are pressedupwardly to provide laterally-spaced foreand-aft grooves 70 which notonly stiffen that plate but receive between their walls theseat-supports 24 when the seat 25 is in chair-forming position, toprevent collapsing of the chair legs except when the seat is raised. Thesloping walls of each groove 70 cooperate with the circularlycross-sectioned seat-support 24 to smoothly cam the side-member 22 intoproper angular relation with respect to theback even though theunfolding of the side-member is slightly erroneous, as due to inaccuratesize of the segment plate 40, failure of the user to swing theside-member to its limiting position, or other reasons.

In collapsing a chair so constructed, the seat is retracted merely byapplying an upward force to the seat to cause it to swing about thefingers 59 to an upright position in which it lies against the chairback. Then, succeessively, each front leg 20 with its associatedseatsupport 24 is swung as a unit inwardly about the axis of its socket32; and when both such side-member units are so swung they are disposedgenerally parallel and generally coplanar with the chair back, asindicated in Fig. 3. To extend such a chair into chair-forming position,each side-member unit is swung outwardly to the limit permitted byengagement of nose 46 with the segment side-wall 44, and in suchposition lies .in a general fore-and-aft plane. A simple forward pull tothe seat 25 causes it to pivot downwardly about fingers 59- to come torest on the seat-supports to position and hold the side-members inproper position as above described.

A folding chair constructed in the manner of my invention is very rigidand sturdy, and should remain so even after a long period of roughusage. The chair gives little, if any, indication of its collapsibility,either from the standpoint of appearance or of feel to the user.

Although I have shown and described a specific embodiment of myinvention, I intend to cover all changes and modifications of theexample herein chosen for purposes of disclosure, which do notconstitute departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as setforth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a chair, a frame, a means pivotally suspending a chair seattherefrom, said means comprising a generally U-shaped yoke of metal rodof circular cross-section having its ends turned outwardly to formtransversely extending aligned fingers, said fingers being pivotallyreceived in transversely extending openings provided in said frame, theintermediate stretch of said yoke formed to possess non-alignedstretches extending transverse to the axis of said fingers and along thebottom of said seat, and means acting on said stretches to hold saidyoke to said seat.

2. The invention set forth in claim 1 wherein said holding meanscomprise plates of sheet-metal each having an integrally offset portionforming a channel the walls of which embrace said rod, and means holdingsaid 3. The invention set forth in claim 1 wherein said holding meanscomprises a clamp-plate for each of said stretches, each clamp-plateformed to have an intermediate portion underlying the associated stretchand having on one side of said intermediate portion a tongue, said seatbeing provided with an opening, said tongue being adapted to be insertedthrough said opening to downwardly engage said seat to fix, inco-operation with the engagement of said intermediate clamp-portion onsaid rod, the parts-unstressed spacing between said seat and theclamp-portion opposite said tongue, and means operative between the seatand said opposite clampportion for changing the spacing therebetween toimpose bending stress in said clamp-plate operative tofirmly press saidrod to said seat.

4. The invention set forth in claim 3 wherein "in the parts-unstressedposition said opposite clamp-portion is spaced from said seat, thespacing-changing means being operative to draw toward one another saidopposite clampportion and said seat.

5. The invention set forth in claim 4 wherein said spacing-changingmeans comprises a single screw-means operative between said seat andsaidopposite clamp-portion to draw them toward one another.

6. In a collapsible chair, a back member comprising a continuous lengthof metal stock bent into the general shape of an inverted U, the bightportion of which frames a back for the chair and the legs of whichprovide rear supporting legs of the chair, a seat for said chair, a pairof seat-supporting structures each including a front leg, saidstructures being pivotally associated respectively with said rearsupporting legs for horizontal swinging between retracted positionsgenerally coplanar with said back member and seat-supporting positionsin which the front legs are disposed well forwardly of said back memberto provide front supporting legs for said chair, each of saidseat-supporting structures being provided with a socket pivotallyembracing the associated rear supporting leg, and means carried by eachrear supporting leg and within said socket to limit swing of theseatsupporting structures to seat-supporting position with respect tosaid back member.

7. The invention set forth in claim 6, wherein said seat is swingablebetween a retracted position generally coplanar with said back memberand a horizontal position extending forwardly of said back member andsupported by said structures, means acting between each socket and theleg it embraces for limiting forward swinging of the seat-supportingstructure, and means on said seat spaced from said back and engageablewith said structures when said seat is in supported horizontal positionto prevent swinging of the seat-supporting structures toward the backmember.

8. A collapsible chair, comprising a back member providing rearsupporting legs, a seat for said chair, a pair of seat-supportingstructures each carrying a front leg and each pivotally associated withsaid back member for horizontal swinging between a retracted positiongenerally coplanar with said back member and a seat-supporting positionin which the front legs are disposed well forwardly of said back memberto provide front supporting legs for said chair, said seat being movablefrom a retracted position generally coplanar with said back member to agenerally horizontal position extending forwardly of said back memberand supported by said seat-supporting structures, said seat having onits lower surface laterally-facing abutments operative to latenallyengage said seat-supporting structures to prevent swinging thereofexcept when the seat is raised off said structures, said chair includinga metal seat-plate forming a bottom of said seat, said seat abutmentsbeing the walls of downwardly opening grooves pressed into saidseat-plate.

9. The invention set forth in claim 8 wherein each seat-supportingstructure is a horizontal generally L- shaped member formed from alength of metal of arcuate cross-section adapted to be cammed byengagement with said groove-walls into predetermined angular positionwith respect to said back member.

10. The invention set forth in claim 9 wherein said side members arefashioned from lengths of metal tubing bent to provide the shapeindicated.

11. A collapsible chair, comprising a back member providing rearsupporting legs, a seat for said chair, a pair of seat-supportingstructures each carrying a front leg and each pivotally associated withsaid back member for horizontal swinging between a retracted positiongenerally coplanar with said back member and a seat- Supporting positionin which the front legs are disposed well forwardly of said back memberto provide front supportinglegs for said chair, said back memberincluding a pair of spaced members each possessing a generally verticalstretch, each of said seat-supporting structures being provided with asocket pivotally embracing the generally vertical stretch of one suchmember to provide the said pivotal association of said structure andsaid back member, each said socket being provided with an intermediateportion of larger diameter than that of the associated generallyvertical stretch embraced thereby to provide a longitudinally-extendi-ngannular groove between said generally vertical stretch and said socketmember, and means located in said groove for positioning said socketalong said generally vertical stretch but permitting swingingtherearound.

12. The invention set forth in claim 11 wherein said socket is providedby the intermediate stretch of a sheetmetal bracket formed into ageneral U-shape the legs of which form jaws, said seat-supportingstructure including a member received between said jaws, and pin meansextending through both of said jaws and through said member to hold themassembled.

13. The invention set forth in claim 12 including a tab integrallyextending from an edge of one of said jaws and interfitting with arecess provided in an edge of the other to restrain relative sliding ofthe two jaws.

14. The invention set forth in claim 12 wherein the bracket-legs andthat portion of the member embraced thereby are of non-circularcross-section.

15. The invention set forth in claim 11 wherein said means comprises aboss provided on said generally ver tical stretch, said boss having alaterally directed abutment, and means movable with said socket memberfor engaging said abutment to limit swing of the seat-supportingstructure to its seat-supporting position.

16. The invention set forth in claim 15 wherein said boss comprises apiece of steet metal fashioned into a cylindrical segment, an edge ofwhich serves as said laterally-directed abutment.

17. The invention set forth in claim 15 wherein each saidseat-supporting structure comprises a piece of metal tubing a portion ofthe end of which provides a nose serving as said abutting means.

18. A collapsible chair, comprising a back member providing rearsupporting legs, a seat for said chair, a pair of seat-supportingstructures each carrying a front leg and each pivotally connected withsaid back member by means located at a level well above the lower endthereof for swinging movement about a generally vertical axis between aretracted position generally coplanar with said back member and aseat-supporting position in which the front legs are disposed wellforwardly of said back member to provide front supporting legs for saidchair, said rear supporting legs extending downwardly and rearwardlybelow said means to a point well rearwardly of the axes of swingingmovement of the seat-supporting structures and a stretcher extendingbetween the downwardly and rearwardly extending portions of said rearsupporting legs and so located thereon as to permit one of saidseat-supporting structures to swing rearwardly about its axis throughthe common plane of the axes of seat-supporting structures.

19. A collapsible chair, comprising a back member providing rearsupporting legs, a seat for said chair, a pair of seat-supportingstructures each carrying a front leg and each pivotally associated withsaid back member for horizontal swinging between a retracted positiongenerally coplanar with said back member and a seatsupporting positionin which the front legs are disposed well forwardly of said back memberto provide front supporting legs for said chair, and means pivotallyconnecting said seat to said back member on a horizontal axis forswinging movement from a retracted position generally coplanar with saidback member to a generally horizontal position extending forwardly ofsaid back member terengageable upon movement of said seat intohorizontal position to cam each seat-supporting structure to apredetermined angular position With respect to said back member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS214,174 Morse Apr. 8, 1879 8 t Cluif Dec, 6, 1881 Chandler i Sept. 7,1909 Lawrence Ian. 19, 1 932 Schermerhorn "Feb. 10, 1942 Rosenjack ,Aug.7, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Mar. 29, 1949 France 2...--- Feb.15, 1934 France Apr. 16, 1934

